Teacher preparedness to implement inclusive education in mainstream classrooms in a selected combined school in South Africa

Abstract

This study aimed to establish teachers’ preparedness to implement inclusive education in mainstream classrooms in a selected combined school in South Africa. It was significant in Foundation to Senior Phases in mainstream classrooms to ensure that the principles and guidelines of inclusive education were implemented to promote learners’ academic success, and thus decrease the failure rate. Although inclusive education policies have been visible for many years, their implementation has been gradual and mired in bureaucracy. A more streamlined approach to implementing inclusive education policies is needed. The appropriate educational theories and the Foundation Phase curriculum and assessment policies underpinned this qualitative study based on a single case study research design. The case identified was located in the ordinary quintile 5 public combined school in the Pinetown District. Data was gathered through a pre-planned questionnaire (containing open-ended questions), semi-structured interviews, and document analysis. Five school management team members and four Foundation Phase (Grades R – 3) teachers were individually interviewed or participated via online interviews. The participants were purposively selected by the researcher to provide insight regarding the implementation of an inclusive education framework at the combined school. Document analysis was conducted by perusing curricula (Mathematics, English Home Language, and Life Skills), assessment policies, EWP 6, SIAS, and lesson plans. Thematic analysis was applied to analyse the responses from the questionnaires and interviews. Bronfenbrenner's theory was considered to understand the reciprocal interconnectedness and relationship of teacher-preparedness and its impact on inclusive learners at a mainstream combined school in South Africa. The findings from the study revealed that both teachers and SMTs believed that they were neither adequately prepared to implement inclusive education in mainstream classrooms, nor skilfully trained to teach learners with varying challenges. Further, the SIAS policy was not fully utilised. While all teachers were encouraged and supported positively by the SMT to implement and promote inclusion, the support offered by the SBST and DBST was superficial. The reality of not having a visible and responsive SBST/DBST as a support structure becomes a barrier for both teachers and learners alike. The DBE efforts to train teachers to improve their practice, have been few and largely ineffective. One major challenge is the lack of resources which hinders learners with physical impairments to access classrooms, toilets, and sporting facilities. The study recommends that the DBE should urgently prioritise continuous professional development workshops, the provision of relevant teacher resources, and promoting hands-on methods to demonstrate to teachers’ strategies to assist learners experiencing barriers to learning. This is possible when all role-players collaborate to commit to an action plan to modify and upgrade existing infrastructure (among others) to fully accommodate inclusive learners. The findings of this study should guide efforts for tangible transformation. This will benefit teacher-efficacy, and accommodate all learners, especially those who are marginalised.

本研究旨在确定教师在南非选定的一所综合学校的主流课堂中实施全纳教育的准备情况。 在主流课堂的基础到高中阶段，确保全纳教育的原则和指导方针得到实施，以促进学习者的学业成功，从而降低失败率，具有重要意义。 尽管全纳教育政策已经出台多年，但其实施却是渐进的，并深陷官僚主义的泥潭。 需要采取更简化的方法来实施全纳教育政策。 适当的教育理论以及基础阶段课程和评估政策支撑了这项基于单个案例研究设计的定性研究。 发现的病例位于派恩敦区的一所普通五分之一公立综合学校。通过预先计划的调查问卷（包含开放式问题）、半结构化访谈和文件分析收集数据。 五名学校管理团队 成员和四名基础阶段（R 至 3 年级）教师接受了单独访谈或通过在线访谈参与。 研究人员有目的地选择参与者，以提供有关合并学校实施全纳教育框架的见解。 通过仔细阅读课程（数学、英语母语和生活技能）、评估政策、EWP 6、SIAS 和课程计划来进行文档分析。 采用主题分析来分析问卷和访谈的答复。 Bronfenbrenner的理论被认为可以理解教师准备的相互关联性和关系及其对南非主流混合学校包容性学习者的影响。研究结果显示，教师和 SMT 都认为，他们既没有为在主流课堂上实施全纳教育做好充分准备，也没有接受过熟练的培训来教授面临不同挑战的学习者。 此外，SIAS 政策并未得到充分利用。 虽然 SMT 积极鼓励和支持所有教师实施和促进包容性，但 SBST 和 DBST 提供的支持却很肤浅。 没有可见且积极响应的 SBST/DBST 作为支持结构的现实成为教师和学习者的障碍。 DBE 为培训教师改进实践所做的努力很少，而且基本上没有效果。 一项主要挑战是缺乏资源，这阻碍了有身体障碍的学习者进入教室、厕所和体育设施。 该研究建议 DBE 应紧急优先考虑持续专业发展研讨会，提供相关教师资源，并推广实践方法，向教师展示帮助遇到学习障碍的学习者的策略。 当所有角色参与者合作致力于制定一项行动计划来修改和升级现有基础设施（等等）以充分适应包容性学习者时，这是可能的。 这

Lolu cwaningo beluhlose ukusungula ukulungela kothisha ukusebenzisa imfundo ebandakanyayo emakilasini ajwayelekile esikoleni esikhethiwe esihlanganisiwe eNingizimu Afrika. Bekubalulekile ezigabeni eziyisisekelo kuya kweziphezulu emakilasini ajwayelekile ukuqinisekisa ukuthi imigomo nemihlahlandlela yemfundo ebandakanyayo iyasetshenziswa ukuze kuthuthukiswe impumelelo yabafundi ezifundweni zabo, ngaleyo ndlela kwehle izinga lokufeyila. Nakuba izinqubomgomo zemfundo ebandakanya wonke umuntu sezineminyaka eminingi zibonakala, ukuqaliswa kwazo bekulokhu kuhamba kancane futhi kucwile ezikhundleni zokuphatha. Kudingeka indlela ehleleke kakhudlwana yokuqaliswa kwezinqubomgomo zemfundo ebandakanya wonke umuntu. Amathiyori ezemfundo afanelekile kanye nekharikhulamu yeSigaba Sabokheko kanye nezinqubomgomo zokuhlola zisekele lolu cwaningo lwekhwalithi olusekelwe ekwakhiweni kocwaningo lwesibonelo esisodwa. Icala elihlonziwe latholakala esikoleni esijwayelekile sika-quintile 5 esihlangene esifundeni sasePinetown. Idatha yaqoqwa ngohlu lwemibuzo oluhlelwe kusengaphambili (oluqukethe imibuzo evulekile), izingxoxo ezihlelwe kancane, nokuhlaziywa kwemibhalo. Amalungu amahlanu ethimba labaphathi bezikole kanye nothisha abane beSigaba Sabantu (Banga R – 3) baxoxwa ngabodwana noma babamba iqhaza ngezinhlolokhono ze-inthanethi. Abahlanganyeli bakhethwe ngenhloso umcwaningi ukuze anikeze ukuqonda mayelana nokuqaliswa kohlaka lwemfundo ebandakanya wonke umuntu esikoleni esihlanganisiwe. Ukuhlaziywa kwamadokhumenti kwenziwa ngokufunda ikharikhulamu (Izibalo, Ulimi Lwasekhaya LwesiNgisi, Namakhono Empilo), izinqubomgomo zokuhlola, i-EWP 6, i-SIAS, nezinhlelo zezifundo. Kusetshenziswe ukuhlaziya isihloko ukuze kuhlaziywe izimpendulo ezivela kuhlu lwemibuzo nezingxoxo. Ithiyori kaBronfenbrenner yayibhekwa njengokuqonda ukuxhumana okuhambisanayo kanye nobudlelwano bokulungela uthisha kanye nomthelela wako kubafundi ababandakanya wonke umuntu esikoleni esihlangene esijwayelekile eNingizimu Afrika. Okutholwe kulolu cwaningo kuveze ukuthi bobabili othisha kanye nama-SMT bakholelwa ukuthi bebengakulungele ngokwanele ukuqalisa imfundo ebandakanya wonke umuntu emakilasini ajwayelekile, noma baqeqeshwe ngamakhono ukuze bafundise abafundi abanezinselele ezahlukene. Ngaphezu kwalokho, inqubomgomo ye-SIAS ayizange isetshenziswe ngokugcwele. Nakuba bonke othisha babekhuthazwa futhi besekelwa kahle i-SMT ukuze iqalise futhi ikhuthaze ukufakwa, ukusekelwa okunikezwa i-SBST ne-DBST kwakungagcini nje. Iqiniso lokungabi nayo i-SBST/DBST ebonakalayo nesabelayo njengesakhiwo sokusekela kuba isithiyo kubo bobabili othisha nabafundi ngokufanayo. Imizamo ye-DBE yokuqeqesha othisha ukuze bathuthukise ukusebenza kwabo, ibe mincane futhi ayiphumelelanga. Enye inselelo enkulu ukuntuleka kwezinsiza okuvimbela abafundi abakhubazekile ukuba bafinyelele emakilasini, izindlu zangasese kanye nezindawo zemidlalo. Ucwaningo luncoma ukuthi i-DBE kufanele isheshe ibeke eqhulwini izinkundla zokucobelelana ngolwazi eziqhubekayo zokuthuthukiswa kochwepheshe, ukuhlinzekwa kwezinsiza zothisha ezifanele, kanye nokukhuthaza izindlela zokubonisana kothisha amasu okusiza abafundi abahlangabezana nezithiyo ekufundeni. Lokhu kungenzeka uma bonke ababambiqhaza besebenzisana ukuze bazibophezele ohlelweni lokusebenza lokushintsha nokuthuthukisa ingqalasizinda ekhona (phakathi kokunye) ukuze kuhlaliswe abafundi bonke. Okutholwe yilolu cwaningo kufanele kuqondise imizamo yoguquko olubambekayo. Lokhu kuzohlomulisa ukusebenza ngempumelelo kothisha, futhi kuvumele bonke abafundi, ikakhulukazi labo ababukelwa phansi.